This invention relates to the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine. In particular it relates to a method for the treatment and control of colibacillosis in weanling pigs with an antibiotic composition comprising tylosin and apramycin.
Colibacillosis in a common disease in weaned pigs which can result in economic loss to the animal raiser. The disease is caused by enterotoxigenic strains of the gram-negative microorganism Escherichia coli and results in poor performance by the pigs. Specifically the pigs fail to gain weight, experience diarrhea, feed efficiency is decreased and mortalities may occur. As a result there is a delay in normal growth for some weeks.
Tylosin has long been used as an antibacterial in veterinary medicine. The antibiotic has been used to control mycoplasma infections in poultry, as a growth promoter for pigs, and in the treatment and control of swine dysentery. However, tylosin is not known to be useful in the treatment and control of colibacillosis in post weaned pigs.
Apramycin is a highly effective antibiotic recently put to use in veterinary medicine. Apramycin, previously known as nebramycin factor II, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,279. U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,767 claims and describes the use of apramycin in promoting the growth of swine as well as its use in the treatment and control of swine dysentery and salmonellosis.